Not without her
by Blue Wolf2
Summary: When House finds out Cameron is being fired, he tells Cuddy that if she is, he'll quit. House/Cameron. ONE SHOT.


**Not without her**

"You had no right!" Dr. Gregory House yelled to Cuddy as he limped into her office.

"What correction did I make this time that you don't agree with?" She asked, not bothering to lift her eyes from the file she was studying.

"I'm her boss; you had no right to fire her without my consent!"

"We're talking about Dr. Cameron." Cuddy said and finally looked up at him.

"No, we're talking about my Mother." House snapped. "Of course we're talking about Dr. Cameron!" When Cuddy once again lowered her eyes to the file, he smacked her desk with his cane. "Hey!"

"Are you insane?" She yelled, looking up at him.

"No, I'm _furious_!" He yelled.

"Stop yelling!"

Outside Chase joined Foreman and Cameron to watch the verbal banter. "What's going on?" Chase asked.

"House is yelling at Cuddy," Foreman stated.

"Well, I can tell that. But why?"

Rather than answering, Foreman simply looked at Cameron. She stood next to him with her arms crossed, her eyes red from crying. He looked at Chase who looked back and forth from Cameron to the office where Cuddy and House were still arguing.

"This is about you?" He asked surprised. When she didn't answer he looked at Foreman, who nodded. "Why?"

"House doesn't agree with Cameron being let go." Foreman said and gave Chase a look.

"Wait a minute, are you saying, House is protecting her?" He asked, with a shocked look on his face. Foreman simply raised his eyebrows. "He is!" Chase exclaimed. "He's protecting you!" He said to Cameron, who still stood there silent, watching the fight.

Back in the office, the verbal war was not even close to being finished. By now Cuddy was standing. "I did what I felt needed to be done!"

"By getting rid of an important member of my team?" House yelled. "She's an asset to this hospital as well as my department and you know it!" When Cuddy tried to speak he continued. "Sure she's stubborn, but that's what makes her good. She sticks to her theories. She could take either of the other two in a fight and win. Oh yeah and did I mention that she actually does her job?"

"She's also involved with you!" Cuddy yelled.

"What I do outside of this hospital is none of your damn business!" House said, pointing behind him to Cameron, who still stood in the hall.

"Like hell it is!" This response brought a surprised look to House's face. "I have a right to know what you do,"

"It's called a private life for a reason Dr. Cuddy." House snapped.

"Maybe so. But your actions outside of this building affect your actions within them and in that case, I deserve to know what is going on!" House glared at her and Cuddy lowered her voice. "She will get pay until she is relocated, which I'm sure won't be hard for her. I will even write a recommendation for her."

"Yeah, that just makes it _all_ better!" House exclaimed as he leaned on his cane.

"House,"

"You can't just get rid of people because you don't agree with what is going on in their life!"

"This situation, relationship, what ever is, could alter her and your judgment and I can not risk that House!"

"But you can risk getting rid of a well deserving doctor?"

"House,"

"Why don't you get rid of Chase and Foreman while you're at it? I mean, I'm sure you wouldn't agree with their romantic lives if you knew what they did."

"That's not what this is about and you know it."

"Might as well get rid of me as well!" House yelled. The sentence took Cuddy by surprise, causing her to stop with her mouth open.

"I…"

"I think that's a good idea actually." House said, pausing to ponder. "I mean, Lord knows I don't do what I'm told around here! So, this gives you a reasonable explanation to fire me! Besides, almost killing patients is not as bad as having a relationship with someone I work with, right?"

"You…you want me to fire you?" She asked shocked.

It was at that moment that the ducklings chose to enter the office, being led by Cameron. "Don't listen to him!" Cameron said.

"Oh yay, more yelling." House muttered and Chase smirked.

"Cameron, this does not concern you." Cuddy said.

"Really? Cause from out there it sounds like it does. I don't care that you've fired me, but do not fire House."

"Allison," House spoke, using her first name, which brought looks of shock to Chase and Foreman's faces.

"House, shut up!" She snapped and looked at Cuddy. "Don't fire him." Cuddy studied Cameron.

"I don't plan on firing Dr. House." Cuddy said.

"Right, because I quit."

"What!?" This was yelled by everyone in the room.

"It seems that I have two choices. Stay, but without a member of my team. Or leave."

House looked at Cuddy, who stood there looking at him shocked. He turned his gaze to the other two ducklings. Chase stood there with a look much like Cuddy's while Foreman attempted to hold in a smirk. Then there was Cameron. Unlike the others, his eyes landed on her eyes, not her face. Her face told him he was crazy, but her eyes were saying thank you. He gave a small smile then turned to Cuddy again.

"Either she stays or I go with her. It's up to you." With that he turned and limped out of the office.

Cameron started after him, but Cuddy's voice stopped her. "Cameron," she turned to look at the dean of medicine. "Try and change his mind?" she asked softly.

Cameron bit her lip. "I wish I could," she whispered then pushed the door open. Cuddy sighed and sat down at her desk as Foreman and Chase silently slinked out of the room.

Cameron entered House's office as he was packing up his bag. She opened her mouth to speak, but he beat her to it. "Don't say anything." She closed her mouth and he looked at her. "Please." She nodded and made her over to him to help him put his bag on. "Can you get a ride from one of the guys?" He whispered before looking at her.

She nodded. "Yeah,"

"How long will you be?"

"About an hour?"

He nodded. "Ok, I'll see you at home." He started to walk towards the door but she pulled him to her, giving him a kiss. As they separated he smiled. "Thank you."

"You're welcome. See you in an hour." He nodded and placed a kiss on her forehead then exited the room.

That night as she unlocked the door she found him sitting on the couch listening to one of his records, a glass of some sort of alcohol in his hand. She set her bag down and made her way to the couch. She plopped down and rested her head in her hands. As she sat there he slid a hand along her shoulder to the back of her neck, where he began to rub it.

"Why did you,"

"Shh," He rubbed her neck for a few more minutes before pulling her to him. She shifted her weight so that her head was on the crook of his neck and her arm was on his chest. He wrapped an arm around her waist, holding her next to him.

She felt him place his head on top of hers and she spoke again. "You didn't have to,"

"Do you not understand the concept of someone telling you to be quiet?" He asked and she smiled. Though most people found his sense of humor annoying, she believed it fit him. He wouldn't be House without his sarcastic remarks. But she was determined to find out why he had threatened to quit. She pulled away so she could look at his face as she spoke.

"Greg,"

"Hmm," his eyes were closed and his fingers were tapping along to the music on her leg.

"I just want to know why."

When he opened his eyes he found a pair of green orbs staring back at him. He scanned her face and he knew there was no way he was getting out of this.

"I did it, because I don't want to lose you." He said and she scanned his eyes.

"You're not going to lose me if I don't work with you."

"You're an asset to the hospital and to my team." He said, speaking in a serious tone. "You hold your ground and you fight with all you have when challenged. Sure, you get attached, but that's a reason the patients trust you. If I felt the team could function without you, I would let her fire you." Cameron bit her lip. "But I don't believe the team can function without you. We need you, as a doctor and a woman. With three men in a room together, someone's likely to get punched." She laughed and he rubbed her cheek.

"But you didn't have to threaten to quit." She whispered and he saw that her eyes were sad.

He nodded. "Yes I did. I needed to show her that I had a reason for you to stay. She wants me to be happy and if that means threatening to leave, then I'll do it." He looked at her and seeing her expression spoke again. "Come here," he pulled her to him, holding her in his arms. "There's nothing to worry about. She won't fire me. She'd be crazy to. And now that she knows that I refuse to work without you, she won't fire you."

Cameron looked up at him. "Thank you,"

He smiled. "You're welcome." He leaned in, pressing his lips to hers. She gave a small moan and slid her hands into his hair. She had moved to sit on his lap when her cell rang. He started to pull away but she stopped him.

"Leave it,"

"It's probably Cuddy. Answer it." She sighed and grabbed her phone. Finding out he was right she answered. He watched and listened as Cuddy told her that she wouldn't be firing her. He thought she was done, but instead of hanging up, she held the phone out to him.

"She wants to talk to you."

He rolled his eyes and took the phone. "Why must you always bother me when I'm trying to get laid?" He snapped in a sarcastic tone. Cameron gave a chuckle as she stood to go to the kitchen.

"Shut up and listen House." Cuddy replied.

"Yes Mommy,"

"She's coming back."

"Well, I would hope so. Or all that fighting today was wasted."

"She's coming back but so help me God House, if your relationship compromises your patients,"

"It won't." He interrupted. "She cares too much to let it do that. Plus you're forgetting about my other two ducklings. They would both be willing to punch me if I let my woman's pretty looks get in the way of a diagnosis." From the kitchen doorway Cameron smiled at him.

"Just be careful House."

"Night boss," Snapping the phone shut, he watched as Cameron made her way back to the couch. She sat down and leaned on him as he turned the tv on. Suddenly, he turned towards her. Startled, she looked at him.

"Greg?"

"Thank you."

She looked at him for a moment before speaking. "For what?"

"For being stubborn," She tilted her head in question and he continued. "For being stubborn enough to not give up until a cure is found. For being stubborn enough to make me give you a reason for you to come back to work. For being stubborn enough to never give up on me. For waiting for me."

A small smile graced Cameron's lips as he finished. "You're welcome. And thank you for defending me."

House nodded and pulled her to him. Resting her head on his chest she closed her eyes. Looking down at her, House smiled.

**A.N. I hope you enjoyed it. Please leave a review.**


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